This January, the people of Southern Sudan vote in an historic referendum to decide whether the South should remain part of a united Sudan or whether it should secede and become the world’s newest sovereign state. Whatever the outcome (and secession is overwhelmingly likely), key questions remain on complex issues such as wealth, resource sharing and debt. There is growing concern that Sudan could return to violence rather than move forward towards the sustainable peace envisioned by the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of 2005.

To mark the referendum, ODI has produced a number of resources looking at the development and humanitarian status of Southern Sudan. These include a Q&A answering some topical questions ahead of the referendum, an article for OpenDemocracy investigating how the outcome of the Southern Sudan referendum could affect the prospects of women's participation and activism in the North and South, a policy brief on gender, violence and survival in Juba and a case study looking at urbanisation and vulnerability in Juba.